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She was leaving Gregori After he nearly died to save your life She pushed that thought aside
He’d also screith her one on theuseful in his blood When she thought about all they’d suffered through - Gregori’s wounds and Howard’s torture - ive her his blood Refused to trust her Refused to help her mother
But he loves you You love him He almost died to save your life
No She wouldn’t think about that She couldn’t
He ht have saved her life
But he’d broken her heart
Chapter Thirty
Gregori paced in his office at Romatech Desperate times called for desperate measures And he was desperate
Time for Plan C
He squeezed a stress ball He’d devised the plans on the way back to New York There’d been several layovers, while he, Angus, and Robby had waited for the sun to set at the next destination He’d had plenty of tius and Robby had offered their advice - beg and grovel - but he hoped to avoid that After all, he’d saved her life He deserved so well Plan A had been a miserable failure He’d based it on the pre sches They loved each other, so any minor disappointments could be easily smoothed over
He called to see if she’d arrived home safely She wouldn’t pick up his calls He left cheerful es and sent flowers to her at the White House Sent candy to her office Sent more flowers and a fruit basket to her es with assurances that he loved her and had every confidence they could weather thiswhen the floere returned ground intoher plants hostage until she agreed toher that her Tiger Paw plants were at Roood care of the Or he could deliver them to her personally at her lab
No response
He’d felt sure Plan B would work Didn’t she want the damned plants? Didn’t she want to help herfast
Abigail felt betrayed He realized that now And his only hope at winning her back was Plan C
He dropped the stress ball on his desk, picked up the se he’d prepared for her, and slipped it inside a coat pocket He’d waited till it was three in thethe hospital would be quiet and free from visitors
"Good luck," he murmured to himself, and teleported to Belinda Tucker’s hospital roohts of the monitor screens The first lady lay in her bed asleep, her face pale
Across the private rooed her eyes, and her nose looked red as if she’d been crying too much
"I’ ori recognized him as Abby’s brother, Lincoln
Sleep He directed a mental command at both Abby and her brother He couldn’t afford to have them wake up until Plan C was fully implemented
The door opened and aman, dressed in white, with blond curly hair He didn’t look alarori
He sori shot a spurt of h "I want to give blood to her" He motioned to Belinda "A direct transfusion My blood type is the sa but Type O for several nights to make sure he matched up
The nurse inclined his head "I will do as you ask"
"Good" He must have the nurse under his control after all He took off his coat and laid it on the coffee table close to Abigail
The nurse inserted a needle into Belinda’s left ar a chair over here"
Gregori carried a lightweight plastic chair over to the other side of the bed He sat and rolled up his sleeve
The nurse rubbed alcohol on the crook of his elbow, then inserted a needle Soon, blood was streah a tube into Belinda
After about ten minutes, her face took on some color She opened her eyes, saw the nurse, and s back at her "And someone else has coori "What are you doing?"
"Trying to help"
Her gaze shifted to the tube inserted in her ar me vampire blood?" She stiffened "I won’t becoori assured her "It won’t harm you in any way"
"You will be fine," the nurse said softly "Trust me"
"I do," she replied
The nurse sori "You can trust hiave hih" The nurse disconnected thee over Belinda’s puncture He stuck another bandage on Gregori’s arori rolled down his sleeve
Belinda looked over at Abigail asleep on the couch, then turned back to Gregori "You broke her heart"
"I know I’ lad" He sighed "I should have helped you earlier I’ to protect your people, that you feared they would be hunted down for their blood"
He nodded "I was afraid to trust her"
"I can understand that I know fro close to my husband that it can be a heavy burden when the safety of so many people depends on your decisions You ail is lanced at her on the couch "I would do anything for her"
Belinda took a deep breath and released it slowly "I have to admit I wasn’t thrilled when I realized she was in love with you But the more she talked about you, the e of hope "She speaks well of ry, but as much as she fusses about you, she defends you at the same time She said you saved her life You stepped in front of her and took two daggers in the back that were ori nodded "I love her"
Belinda reached over and patted his hand "If you can win her back, you will have "
"Thank you" He squeezed her hand, then stood "I have soets it?" He ree froori Thank you for bringing her hoht" He put on his coat and noticed the nurse was still there, standing by the door "Thank you for your help" He started to release him from mind control, then realized it wasn’t there
The nurse inclined his head "God be with you"
"You too" He glanced at the nurse’s na sharply "You - you - "